RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Sept.26: The movement by Kudmis Mahto for getting ST status has angered the tribals who are elated over the Hemant Soren government’s decision to enact 1932 domicile policy.
This was reflected during a meeting of Ranchi’s prominent tribal leaders and organisations on Sunday at Pahi Palace in Morabadi. The demand for Kudmi’s ST status was flatly rejected at the meeting, and a strategy was devised to put an end to the agitation.
The tribal leaders planned to launch the agitation with a one-day fast on September 27 at Ranchi’s Morhabadi Maidan. The meeting decided that if this movement is not stopped, they will consider hitting the streets.
To amplify the movement, the leaders formed the Adviasi Adhikar Raksha Manch. Geetashree Oraon, State President of Adivasi Vikas Parishad and former minister, said the demand has no justification because it is a matter of research, and research done so far indicates that there is a significant difference between the tribes and the Kudmis.
“Kudmi believes in Sanatani tradition, while we believe in old tradition. We follow our tribal tradition when it comes to festivals and marriages. Kol Teli, too, demands inclusion on the ST list. One does not become a tribal simply by living together,” Oraon explained.
Laxmi Narayan Munda, another tribal leader, stated that in this democratic country, anyone has the right to make any demand. However, who is asking for what must be understood. These are the people who are opposed to tribal reservation in Panchayat Raj under PESA. These people occasionally advocate for backward class reservation. These people are sometimes proud to be called Shiva’s descendants. “How can these people be eligible for ST?” he wondered.
According to tribal leader Ajay Toppo, Kudmi society’s demand is completely incorrect. The state’s Tribal Research Institute has already rejected their request. These individuals are not even eligible. They are only making this demand to gain political advantage and access to tribal facilities. “If they are granted ST status, the tribals will become extinct,” Toppo predicted.
P.C. Murmu, President of Adivasi Buddijeevi Manch, stated that if they were removed from the tribal list in 1950, it must have been done after careful thought and consideration.
Niranjana Herrenj Toppo, state president of the Jai Adivasi Vikas Parishad, stated that Arjun Munda, knowing fully well that he was wrong, passed a resolution in 2004 to include them in the ST list for political gain and sent it to the Centre. TRI simultaneously sent its suggestion and intent to the centre. The demand is politically motivated, he added.
Salkhan Murmu, former MP and national president of Adivasi Sengel Abhiyan, expressed the tribe’s rage in a statement.
“In the race to become a Scheduled Tribe (ST), Kurmi Samaj’s indefinite Rail-Road Chakka Jam programme in Jharkhand, Odisha, and Bengal from 20.9.2022 has given rise to new political polarisation.” “The Adivasi Sengel Abhiyan opposes and condemns this polarisation,” Murmu said today in a statement.
Salkhan, referring a news item published on page 5 of the Oriya news paper “The Samaj” on 25.9.22, said: “BJP’s Union Tribal Minister Vishweshwar Tudu has given a statement from Delhi on 24.9.2022 that the Biju Janata Dal supremo in Odisha had announced during the last assembly election at Ramtirth near Joshipur in Mayurbhanj that we will convert Kurmi Mahto caste. Will get ST status and will also contribute one crore rupees for the construction of Kurmi Bhawan. On that Union Minister Vishweshwar Tudu has asked where did he go to one crore rupees? The effigy of Minister Visheshwar Tudu has also been burnt in Baripada on 23.9.22 for his anti-Kurmi statement. The Union Minister has pointed towards the BJD behind the Kurmi Rail Road Roko.”
Murmu attaching a paper clipping of his statement further said: “In Jharkhand, the JMM party has been openly in favour of making Kudmi Mahto a tribal. Under the leadership of Hemant Soren, on 8.2.2018, all his MPs / MLAs had submitted the memorandum with regular signatures to the then Chief Minister Raghubar Das. Murmu, sharing a support letter, said the TMC party of Bengal is also on the path of support for Kudmi.
Murmu through his statement opined that the above facts prove that regional parties like BJD, JMM and TMC are anti-tribal and it will lead to genocide of real tribals.
“They want to destroy the real tribals in the greed of votes. If Kudmi and many other castes are given ST status only in the lust of vote bank, genocide or slaughter of the real tribals (Santal, Munda, Oraon, Ho, Bhumij, Khadia, Pahariya, Gond etc.) is certain,” Murmu stated.
